LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Healthcare is the top issue to Kentucky voters over 50.
A new survey from AARP of 800 voters over the age of 50 found that the top three electoral issues for Kentucky voters are:
- Lowering healthcare costs (75%)
- Jobs and economy (73%)
- Addressing rising prescription drug costs (72%)
The survey found that 64 percent of respondents are concerned they will not be able to pay for the healthcare they need. While 82 percent of respondents expressed concerns about expanded access to healthcare going away if state funding is cut.
These numbers grew even higher when it came to prescription drug costs, with 88 percent saying prescription drug companies make too much money, while 83 percent think drug companies have influence over elected officials. 84 percent don’t think elected officials are doing enough to address the high cost of prescription drugs.
“For the same drug we buy here in the United States we could go to Canada or Mexico and get that same drug for a tremendously different price, a lower price, sometimes the percentages are mind blogging,” said Charles Williams, AARP Executive Council Member. “We want to bring that to the attention of our gubernatorial candidates.”
AARP surveyed the voters in July and August to see what issues will matter to them most when heading to the ballot box in November. The organization says Matt Bevin and Andy Beshear’s stance on those issues could play a big role in who they decide to vote for.
“The numbers don’t lie, the data says these are key issues for our representatives and we want them to focus on them, and we want to try and get some of the fuzziness out of all of the soundbites and talk that we hear, we want some clarity, we want to be specific,” Williams said. “If we can get answers to those I’m sure they will say the 45 percent men and the 45 percent women voters in Kentucky to vote in the direction of the person they feel will best suit their purposes.”
Ahead of the first gubernatorial debate on October 3, AARP has three questions they want answered:
- What will you do to help Kentucky family caregivers support their older loved ones at home and out of costly nursing homes?
- How will you lower prescription drug prices for older Kentuckians and their families?
- Will you oppose any more taxes on retirees and reinstate Kentucky’s retirement tax exemption to its original amount at $41,110?
AARP says Andy Beshear and Matt Bevin have answered these questions for the organization earlier in the year.
“We had the opportunity to each of the gubernatorial candidates and they spoke for one minute,” Williams said. “We asked these three questions and they answered them candidly.”
AARP says they did this survey to find what issues are most important to the population that tends to vote the most.
“The fifty plus generation is more prone to vote than the younger generation,” Williams said. “So that is a big block of voters and we hope that our representatives will pay close attention to that.”
AARP says they are a non-partisan group.
“We don’t care what color suit they wear, or about the cut of their jib,” Williams said. “All we do is we look at what the candidate has to say that is beneficial to the 50 plus demographic.”
The survey was done with 800 registered voters by landline (59% ) and cell phone (41%).